Max Maths, Year 2, Learn together, Odd and even numbers

In a Year 2 lesson from Max Maths, children explore the concept of odd and even numbers by grouping coloured pencils in pairs. The activity begins with Han, who has 7 coloured pencils. When he attempts to group them into pairs, he finds that he can make 3 groups of 2 pencils, but there is 1 pencil left over, which cannot be paired. This illustrates the idea of an odd number, as it cannot be divided into equal groups of 2 without a remainder.

On the other hand, Padma has 4 coloured pencils and when she groups them in 2s, she finds that they pair up perfectly with no pencils left over. This demonstrates an even number, which can be evenly divided into groups of 2. To further explore this concept, Jade finds 20 pencils and organises them into pairs, recording her findings in a table. The table lists numbers from 1 to 9, and for each number, it is noted whether the pencils can be grouped exactly into pairs. Numbers that result in a perfect pairing with no remainder are even, while those with one pencil remaining are odd. The activity helps children understand the difference between odd and even numbers in a practical and visual way.